Thirty-three people have been arrested as police target anti-social behaviour hotspots across Cumbria.
Operation Enhance to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence was launched after police were awarded £1 million of extra funding in July, thanks to the county’s crime commissioner.
Cumbria police said the extra cash had meant over 720 hours of additional officer patrols have been undertaken – including 240 hours last month.
Over the first three months of the operation, 115 stop and searches have been conducted, 309 intelligence submissions have been submitted and anti-social behaviour powers have been used 11 times.
Of the 33 arrests, 11 took place last month.
The operation sees extra patrols in 18 areas identified by statistical analysis as the county’s hotspot areas of anti-social behaviour and serious violence.
These areas include areas of Carlisle, Barrow, Workington, Whitehaven, Kendal, Penrith, Maryport, Cleator Moor, Ulverston and Bowness-on-Windermere.
They are:
Furness
- Barrow – Hindpool
- Barrow – Salthouse
- Barrow – town centre
- Barrow – Barrow Island
Allerdale & Copeland
- Workington town centre
- Maryport town centre
- Maryport South
- Whitehaven town centre
- Cleator Moor
Carlisle & Wigton
- Botchergate
- Carlisle city centre
- Grey Street/Fusehill Street
- Dowbeck
- Raffles Avenue/Shadygrove Road, Carlisle
Kendal & Eden
- Penrith town and New Squares
- Kendal town centre
- Ulverston town centre
- Bowness-on-Windermere
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen, who secured the cash, said: “Tackling anti-social behaviour is one of my key priorities and is also a public priority highlighted to me by the public in my recent survey. It will be the number one priority in my forthcoming Police, Fire and Crime Plan.
“This funding has helped put extra patrols in our hotspot areas and tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence.
“These extra patrols are combatting these crime types and I hope that our residents are seeing a difference and feel safer in their own communities.
“Tackling crime is the priority but I also want to see the wider effects less crime has on our great county. I want our residents and visitors to feel safer, to see less criminal or nuisance behaviour and to have growing trust in their policing services.
Patrols will continue to operate through until at least the end of March next year.
T/Chief Superintendent Andy Wilkinson said: “Three months into this operation and what we are seeing is a tangible and significant impact on anti-social behaviour and instances of serious violence in the targeted communities.
“Whilst the primary purpose of the operation is increased visibility, I am proud that officers are also swift to respond to breaking incidents in their locality. Their swift actions is resulting in people who negatively impact their own communities via drugs offences or shoplifting being arrested and taken to custody.
“Our hotspot patrol officers on the ground are feeding back the positivity they are seeing on the ground – from praise for action taken against youths to shopkeepers reporting seeing a reduction in shoplifting.
“The funding secured by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office has ensured we are fully committed to this operation well into 2025 so will continue to be seen and action will continue to be taken in the weeks and months ahead.”
